KENDRELL BELL and CASEY HAMPTON are the last rookies to come in and actually contribute to our defensive front 7. thats 5 seasons where 7 out of 22 positions no rookie was able to contribute!!!!

sure weve all heard about the cap issues and lack of production and pressure from our defensive front 7 (who happen to be a very expensive definsive front 7).

however kendrell bell was the last time we spent a high 2nd round pick on one of these 7 positions and hampton was a 1st rounder. (other than a. jackson, but i believe bell was a higher draft pick).

the thing is bell was the DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR with 9 sacks as a situational (1st and 2nd down) player, and hampton is one of the best nose tackles in the league.

how can we continue to ignore these 7 positions in the 1st 2 rounds of the draft is beyond me. we are a defensive team right?

sure weve had a great front 7 but no team can afford to keep one together forever. (as seen by the huge contract bell got from the cheifs)

weve seen multiple players come in and immediately contribute at these 7 positions:

merriman
tatupu
ware
seymore
wilfolk
wimbley
peppers
d. ryans

its about time the steelers get back on the horse and spend our 1st 2 picks on the defensive front 7. again, the last time we did this we got the defensive rookie of the year and an annual pro bowler. lets save some future money in the process.

KENDRELL BELL and CASEY HAMPTON are the last rookies to come in and actually contribute to our defensive front 7. thats 5 seasons where 7 out of 22 positions no rookie was able to contribute!!!!

sure weve all heard about the cap issues and lack of production and pressure from our defensive front 7 (who happen to be a very expensive definsive front 7).

however kendrell bell was the last time we spent a high 2nd round pick on one of these 7 positions and hampton was a 1st rounder. (other than a. jackson, but i believe bell was a higher draft pick).

the thing is bell was the DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR with 9 sacks as a situational (1st and 2nd down) player, and hampton is one of the best nose tackles in the league.

how can we continue to ignore these 7 positions in the 1st 2 rounds of the draft is beyond me. we are a defensive team right?

sure weve had a great front 7 but no team can afford to keep one together forever. (as seen by the huge contract bell got from the cheifs)

weve seen multiple players come in and immediately contribute at these 7 positions:

merriman
tatupu
ware
seymore
wilfolk
wimbley
peppers
d. ryans

its about time the steelers get back on the horse and spend our 1st 2 picks on the defensive front 7. again, the last time we did this we got the defensive rookie of the year and an annual pro bowler. lets save some future money in the process.

You raise a very good point Tone. And i am also in favor of going after impact players for help up front. However,.....i have a condsiderable dilemma regarding the secondary. (Especially at corner)
I feel as though we should agressively address this first even possibly at the expense of studs like Willis, Carriker and Poz.
How might we do this you ask if none of this years Corners are better 'players' than the aforementioned ?
Well after serious deliberation on my part,.....i say we select Ted Ginn jr to play CB and add considerable gamebreaking impact to our return game. Corner is his natural position,..and i think the experience he's gained by playing WR gives him all the more edge in coverage. Not to mention he's got world class speed, and almost unnatural quickness and agility.
Then we could possibly move up in the second and aquire the best DE, DT, or LB still on the board. (Mind you i'd like to see us pick up michael Bush in the second,.....but somehow i think he may Drop to the third)

i was screaming last year during the draft. i thought they would address the lack of depth and age factor of our defense. instead they drafted TWO WR's. tomlin is a defense kind of guy though. i think we should be on track this time around.

i was screaming last year during the draft. i thought they would address the lack of depth and age factor of our defense. instead they drafted TWO WR's. tomlin is a defense kind of guy though. i think we should be on track this time around.

its like drafting alanzo jackson in round 2 screwed us up or something. kinda like mark malone. we drafted him in the 1st round and then gave up on taking a qb in the 1st round for the next 20 years. as soon as we get over it we go 15-1 and win the sb the next year.

if were gonna remain a top notch defense were gonna have to spend some cap dollars or high draft picks. we dont have any cap room so....

our last 3 drafts we took a qb, te, and wr w/ our 1st pick. its time to go defense and actually utilize our #1 pick t.e. as an offensive weapon. forget about drafting a wr or rb on day 1.